additions:undead_sickness [Ron Helwig's Viking World for D&D]

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# Draugrveiki

Combining *Draugr*—the undead creatures of Norse mythology—with *veiki*, meaning sickness. This name suggests that the disease is directly responsible for turning living creatures into undead horrors.

This affliction originates from a fallen meteor and appears to carry both a **physical** and **magical** component. It first weakens the body and spreads through bites or contact with infected creatures, eventually resulting in a horrifying transformation into an undead state.

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## Progression of the Disease

### Stage 1: Fever and Weakness

Within **24 hours** of exposure, the infected creature begins to show signs of illness:

- Gains **1 level of exhaustion** that cannot be removed by resting.
- Experiences fever, chills, and muscular weakness.

At this stage, the disease is magical in nature and can be cured by:

- A successful **DC 16 Medicine check**,
- The use of *Lesser Restoration*,
- Or *Lay on Hands* (5 points spent).

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### Stage 2: Physical Corruption

After **1d6 days**, symptoms escalate:

- **Skin discoloration**, **decay**, and **mental degradation** appear.
- The creature’s **Constitution score is reduced by 2**.
- They become irrationally hostile or violent.

To stop progression at this stage:

- *Greater Restoration* can cure the disease.
- *Spare the Dying* cast once per day delays Stage 3 for 24 hours.
- *Gentle Repose* functions normally, even though the creature is still alive, preserving their body for **10 days**.

At this point, the disease becomes **contagious** through bites.

> **Infection Check:** A creature bitten by an infected creature must succeed on a **Constitution saving throw (DC 14)** or become infected.

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### Stage 3: Undeath

If left untreated, the victim **dies** and rises within hours as a mindless undead husk driven by malice toward the living.

Transformed creatures gain:

- **Undead Fortitude**  
  If damage that is not radiant reduces the creature to 0 hit points, it may make a Constitution saving throw (DC 5 + damage taken). On a success, it drops to **1 hit point** instead.

- **Undead Nature**  
  The creature no longer requires food, water, or air.

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## Notes for DMs

You may optionally allow divine or natural signs (e.g., prophetic dreams, omens, strange animal behavior) to precede Stage 3 in important NPCs. This can give players opportunities to intervene dramatically.